Chapter 23 of Life of Johnson, Volume 4 1780-1784 is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
Chapter 23 of Life of Johnson, Volume 4 1780-1784 is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
[669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept. 10. [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning. Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present. To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
Chapter 23 of Life of Johnson, Volume 4 1780-1784 is here in full — 398 sentences across 80 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading “To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.”
(physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration
From this reading “[670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.”
suffering shame
From this reading “To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.”
a group of more than 500 islands off the western coast of Scotland
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading “[670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.”
kept in good condition
From this reading “[670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.”
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading “[669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.”
plural of “trader” — someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
From this reading “To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 10.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
how long something has existed
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
(physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
suffering shame
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
a group of more than 500 islands off the western coast of Scotland
From this reading [669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
kept in good condition
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
many times at short intervals
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading [669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading [669] See Boswell's _Hebrides_, Sept.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading [670] Johnson often maintained this diffusion of learning.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
plural of “trader” — someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
From this reading To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves disgraced by ignorance.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading Thus he wrote:--'The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the present.
Chapter 23 of Life of Johnson, Volume 4 1780-1784 by James Boswell holds 398 sentences, grouped into 80 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 23 holds 398 sentences of Life of Johnson, Volume 4 1780-1784, unabridged, divided into 80 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 23 of Life of Johnson, Volume 4 1780-1784 by James Boswell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 398 sentences, grouped into 80 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 80 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
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